Open Thread – 11/28/2020

 Posted by at 11:01 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Nov 282020
 

It’s another tired day here in the CatBox, but I have enough gas in the tank for a full post today.  Tomorrow please expect no more than a Personal Update, as it’s a WWWendy day, and we are having our Thanksgiving dinner.  It’s also a Holy Day in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb.  My Broncos are praying the Saints, but it won’t be televised here.  I hope you are having a fine holiday weekend, even if it isn’t a holiday for you.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:01 (average 4:26).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Crooks and Liars: Now, as states across the country contemplate new lockdowns to slow down the rampant spread and record hospitalizations, the unprecedented demand for food aid is on the rise, according to the Guardian’s latest snapshot survey:

  • In Cleveland, 5,000 families showed up last Thursday for the pre-Thanksgiving drive-in distribution compared with 3,300 a week earlier and an average of 1,600 over the summer. Some 54% of the food distributed was for children and seniors. “We’re now seeing families who had an emergency fund but it’s gone and they’re at the end of their rope. We’re going to be doing this for a really long time, and that’s frankly terrifying given the impact hunger has on physical health, learning and development for children and parents’ stress,” said Kristin Warzocha, president of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
  • One woman in Cleveland, who didn’t want to be identified, discharged herself from the hospital against medical advice so that she didn’t miss the Thanksgiving food box delivery. “That’s the depth of need and desperation some families are feeling,” added Warzocha.

Not surprisingly, the Trump administration is making a bad situation worse, The Guardian reports. Instead of boosting Snap benefits (food stamps), it cut eligibility. The USDA’s Farmers to Families program expires at the end of the year, as does a $450 million boost to the Emergency Food Assistance Program. “Without government assistance, ‘we’re headed toward a massive cliff come January,’ said Erin Pulling, CEO of the Food Bank for the Rockies which serves Colorado and Wyoming.”

Barf Bag Alert!!

 

This will not change when Trump* is gone. How many years have you seen me say, “Every penny Democrats spend to feed hungry families is a penny Republicans can’t give to a billionaire.”?  RESIST!!

From NY Times: Iran’s top nuclear scientist, long identified by American and Israeli intelligence as the guiding figure behind a covert effort to design an atomic warhead, was shot and killed Friday in what the Iranian media called a roadside ambush as he and his bodyguards traveled outside Tehran.

For two decades, the scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was the driving force behind what American and Israeli officials describe as Iran’s secretive nuclear weapons program. His work continued after Iran’s push to develop a bomb was formally disbanded in 2003, according to American intelligence assessments and Iranian nuclear documents stolen by Israel nearly three years ago.

One American official — along with two other intelligence officials — said that Israel was behind the attack on the scientist. It was unclear how much the United States may have known about the operation in advance, but the two nations are the closest of allies and have long shared intelligence regarding Iran, which Israel considers its most potent threat.

There are three possibilities. Butcher Bibi, criminal Fuhrer Trump* or both in unison. I pick door number three. RESIST!!

From Alternet: A new viral video released by “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” on Friday offers an in-depth look into President Donald Trump’s ongoing refusal to condemn white supremacy.

According to the three-minute YouTube video’s description, it aims to highlight Trump’s “cozy relationship with supremacists.” The video, which garnered more than 700,000 views in less than 24 hours, notes Trump’s repeated attacks on nearly everyone under the sun.

Roy Wood Jr., a correspondent for the Noah’s show, provided the commentary for the video. During the video, he noted that Trump has often been “famous for being quick with an insult,” reports the Huffington Post. From lawmakers , state, and local officials, to Democratic voters, Trump has so easily insulted tons of people—except white supremacists.

When Trump was elected, racists rejoiced. White supremacists rallied around him holding rallies and blatantly making their racial bias known. On multiple occasions, Trump has retweeted white genocide posts on social media and subtly defended the actions of white supremacists.

 

This will not change when Trump* is gone. Trump* did not choose the Republican Reich. The Republican Reich chose Trump*, because he represents them.  RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast for the planet): Paradise

 

John Prine was a man who loved this planet. Sadly his fight is over. Seven months ago, Trump* and the Republican Reich murdered him with Trump* virus.  RESIST!!

52 Days Until the Big FLUSH!!

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Remember Kent State!

 Posted by at 6:42 am  Politics
May 042020
 

Fifty years ago, I had recently dropped out of the anti-war movement, because, as a devotee of nonviolent protest and passive resistance,  I could not support the direction that the weather faction had taken the movement.  Nevertheless, the events of this day filled me with a sense of horror only rarely experienced.

4kent-state

…On May 4, 1970, another student rally was scheduled for noon at the Commons on the Kent State University campus. Before the rally began, the National Guard ordered those congregated to disperse. Since the students refused to leave, the National Guard attempted to use tear gas on the crowd.

Because of the shifting wind, the tear gas was ineffective at moving the crowd of students. The National Guard then advanced upon the crowd, with bayonets attached to their rifles. This scattered the crowd. After dispersing the crowd, the National Guardsmen stood around for about ten minutes and then turned around and began to retrace their steps.

For an unknown reason, during their retreat, nearly a dozen National Guardsmen suddenly turned around and began firing at the still scattered students. In 13 seconds, 67 bullets were fired. Some claim that there was a verbal order to fire. Four students were killed and nine others were wounded. Some of the students who were shot were not even part of the rally, but were just walking to their next class…


Inserted from <About.com>

Here is something to help remember the day.

To this day,  I cannot hear this song without tearing up.  Just a couple years before I saw one of Mayor Daley’s storm troopers murder a young girl, when police attacked demonstrators at the Democratic Convention in Chicago in March, 1968.  She offered him a flower.  He smashed her head with a his baton.  I fear that we will see more heroes murdered for us.

RESIST!!

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Open Thread – 1/13/2019

 Posted by at 10:36 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 132020
 

It’s a hectic day, here in the CatBox.  I tried to refill seven prescriptions at Walgreens (now Alliance) Mail Order Pharmacy and, after trying at the website for three days, called them.  I learned that they are no longer the preferred mail order pharmacy.  I went to the Providence website and learned that Costco Mail Order Pharmacy is now the one.  It took me over three hours to set up my account there, enter all my prescription, call my doctor, and arrange for her to fax them over to Costco.  Then Walgreen’s sent me an email that they were processing my order.  I called them back.  It turns out they assumed I wanted to pay for those prescriptions myself.  I told that poor CS gal that they should changer their name again from Alliance to Ulysses.  “Why?” she asked.  I replied, so customers can call them Useless for short!!”   ARGH!!!  Needless to say, all that cut into my research time Big Time, so this is my only article today.  Oh God, it’s Monday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:06 (average 6:36). To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From YouTube (NBC News Channel): Defense Sec. Esper Says He ‘Didn’t See’ Intelligence Showing Threat To U.S. Embassies

 

The threat was so immediate and immanent that impeached War Criminal Trump* and the Republican Reich ordered this murder seven months ago!  RESIST!!

From YouTube (FiveThirtyEight Channel): If Joe Biden wins Iowa, ‘he’s off to the races’: Nate Silver

 

I’ve always respected Nate Silver, but let’s work like hell to make sure that Liz or Bernie wins Iowa for America’s sake!  RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Heart – “Barracuda”

 

Ah… the memories!  RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

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Just Like GHW Bush

 Posted by at 8:55 am  Politics
Jan 032020
 

GHW Bush needed something to increase his popular support to aid his reelection.  When Saddam Hussein decided to invade Kuwait over an oil dispute, he notified the US Ambassador to Iraq, April Glaspie.  She told him the US has “no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts, like your border disagreement with Kuwait” and that the US has “no special defense or security commitments to Kuwait.”  That’s diplo-speak for, “Go for it”.  When Saddam invaded, the Bush administration paraded the Kuwaiti Ambassador’s daughter, who had been here in the US for over a year,  before Congress.  She pretended to be a nurse in a Kuwaiti hospital and lied that Iraqi troops had pulled babies from incubators and murdered then.  Bush had his war.  It’s a standard Republican tactic.   Unfortunately for Bush, Gen. Collin Powell defeated Iraq so quickly that the war was over too soon, and Bush lost his election anyway.  This is exactly why Donald Trump*, impeached Resident, is now trying to start a war with Iran.

0103Solmeni-killed

MSNBC’s James Stavridis warned that President Donald Trump’s order to kill Iranian general Qassim Suleimani would dangerously escalate tensions in the Middle East — which could blow back on the United States.

The retired U.S. Navy admiral and supreme allied commander of NATO told “Morning Joe” that Suleimani, who led the clandestine Quds Force, was dangerous — but he said the killing would inflame an already tense situation.

“Suleimani is an evil person, he’s a villain,” Stavridis said. “We are better off tactically for his piece being taken off the chessboard. He was smart, he constructed very clever attacks on us, so tactically this is a positive.”

The retired admiral agreed that Suleimani was the most significant military figure in the Middle East over the past generation, but he worried about the president’s strategy.

“Tactically, I’m glad he’s gone,” Stavridis said. “Strategically, however, we are pouring gasoline on a smoldering fire with no structure or strategy for where we’re going to take this thing next, and I’ll tell you the Pentagon today is going to be on all hands on deck doing the defensive measures all over the world to make sure that we’re prepared for the response, because there will be a significant response.”…[emphasis added]

Inserted From <Raw Story>

Here’s more:

Fareed Zakaria on airstrike: Iran will respond in some way

 

It is clear that Pompeo’s  statement that this act of was was a deterrent is a lie.  Throwing a stick of dynamite into a tinder box is an invitation to explode, not a deterrent.  However, Trump repeatedly predicted that Barack Obama would attack Iran to ensure his reelection in 2012.  That is what Trump has in mind.  I hope it doesn’t work.  I fear Iran’s retaliation will cause much suffering by innocents.

Trump was required by law to notify the gang of eight.  I understand he notified only Lindsey Poo.  He notified no Democrats, saying they would have leaked his plans.  Liar!

RESIST!!

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Open Thread – 1/1/2020

 Posted by at 7:22 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 012020
 

It’s a nauseous day here at the CatBox.  It’s also a WWWendy day, so I’ll just get my work done as quickly as I can.  May 2020 be a better year for us all.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 5:27 (average 5:38).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Cartoon:

Poll:

I apologize for leaving the old poll up so long.  I conceived it poorly and became tied up in medical mayhem, so I never got around to replacing it, as I should have long ago.  I have replaced it now, and if anyone wishes to view the results and comments from the old poll, click here.

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Robert Reich Channel): Why I’m Still Hopeful About America with Robert Reich

 

I know I always say the Reich on the left, Robert Reich, is right. However, I’m not confident this time. The Reich on the right, the Republican Reich, has done more damage to the US and the world than it ever has, is more evil that it has ever been, and has more power to rig elections than ever before. Nevertheless…  never give up! RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): Protests continue at US embassy in Baghdad

 

It appears that Trump* and the Republican Reich are trying to start a war to distract attention from the many crimes that surround them at home.  RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): You Keep Me Hangin’ On

 

Ah… the memories!  RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

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